Process of treating iron and steel.



UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoEQ DAVID LAMON, 01? DENVER, COLORADO.

PROCESS OF TREATING IRON AND STEEL.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID Linton, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have made.ccrtain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Treating Iron and Steel, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in compositions. of matter for hardening and otherwise improving the physical properties of iron and steel, and it consists in the various ingredients hereinafter enumerated.

This invention is an improvement over a similar one set forth in my prior Patent #892,269, June 30, 1908. In the prior patent, just mentioned, certain chemicals were used, which chemicals are also used in the present process, but in addition thereto is another element which greatly facilitates the hardening of the metals, and is acted on by the other ingredients in such a manner as to produce a much better article than can be produced by following out the process set forth in the patent cited.

The scope of usefulness of many of the metals and alloys is limited by reason of the fact that in their natural state theyare not completely adapted to the conditions under which it would be desirable to use them.

creased hardness in the softer forms of iron and steel would widen the scope of their usefulness, provided none of their present valuable properties, such as conductivity, be substantially deteriorated.

My invention is a composition of matter for improving certain of the physical properties of iron or steel and their alloys, without deteriorating any of the valuable properties which they may already possess, and it is primarily designed for the hardening of iron, so as to permit it to be used in cases where extreme rigidity and strength is required. Y

In detail my process is as follows: The metal or alloy in any of its manufactured forms is heated to a suitable temperature and inunediately subjected to the action of a properly proportioned mixture of the following substances, to wit; boric acid, a double sulfate of aluminum and cyanid of potassium. Inplace of this I may use borie Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1914'.

Application filed December 20, 1910. Serial No. 598,813.

compounds is used to thoroughly cover the surface of the metal. The proportions of the ingredients may vary in accordance with the metal to be'treated. A formula for general use might be cyanid of potassium one part, boric acid one part, and sulfate of aluminum one-half part. The metal or alloy thus heated is maintained at a suitable temperature (from sixteen to eighteen hundred degrees F., or higher depending upon the metal to be treated) for a sufiieient length of time after which it is passed through a water solution of citric acid and aluminum sulfate, together with a salt of copper, such as the sulfate. After this the metal or alloy is cleaned and allowed to cool gradually. The proportions of the chemical agents employed vary according to the material to be treated. The temperature at which the operations are conducted may also vary, but in the case of copper, it is about 900 F., and of brass about 1200 F. a

For the purpose of carrying out the foregoing details any suitable form of furnace may be used, providing for a continuous or intermittent operation, but it is preferable that the source of heat be an impinging nonluminous flame. The aforesaid mixture of boric acid, sulfate of aluminum, and potassium cyanid, d!- of sulfate of aluminum and potassium cyanid may be used upon metals, especially copper and copper alloys, while in process of manufacturing into I daim: and stool and their alloys, consisting of one 1, The herein described composition of part of potassium oyztnid, one part of boric 10 matter for hardening and toughening 11011 acid, and one half part of sulfate of 31111111- and steel and them alloys consistlng of bone num.

5 acid, sulfate of aluminum and potassium DAVID LAD/ION,

cyanid. Witnesses 2. The herein described composition of FRANK B. DAVENPORT,

matter for hardening and toughening iron \ViLLIAM L. INPPENLATZ. 

